When you walk into a kitchen, do you often see these white tiles arranged in a staggered brick pattern in most kitchens? They are called subway tiles, named as so because they were widely used in the New York subway system back in the early 1900s. After more than a century, a newfound interest in retro, industrial-style spaces resurrected this trend.

But there are also alternative ways to lay out and install subway tiles—and yes, these don't have to be laid out in a horizontal way. Below are seven ideas you can try out:

Install your subway tiles with a layout that resembles parquetry or traditional weaving.

IMAGE Jilson Tiu

Try a crosshatch pattern with smaller tiles, like in wooden parquet floor. A tip: there are also ready-made large tiles that mimic this particular pattern.